Catch 22
by hezzy76
Summary: Toby and Spencer's love is put to the ultimate test when Toby get's a letter from -A and is forced to do the unthinkable.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first PLL fanfic. I just got caught up with the show and fell in love with it. It wasn't until episode 3.24 that I started to ship Toby. This just came to me so I figured I would give it a shot.

Xoxo H

Toby Cavanaugh sat on the front steps of his father's house fiddling with a small piece of paper that was in his hands. His piercing blue eyes looked sad as his gaze into nothingness broke. He turned his head from side to side taking in every bit of his surroundings. He knew he was being watched. That hallow feeling he felt in the pit of his stomach just assured him that he needed to do what that paper said, otherwise, there would be a consequence he couldn't even fathom. His stomach twisted at the thought of letting her touch him again. Her red tipped finger nails that matched the color of her lip gloss tracing the contours of his chest made him shudder. Knowing that in a few short moments her lips would on his made him throw up in his mouth a little.

Toby took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his thick brown hair and tried to think of a way out of it. His brow wrinkled and he let out a groan. He knew that it was no use. He had been through every scenario imaginable since he had found the note stuck in the frame of a picture of him and spencer that was on his bedside table when he got home the night before.

If he wanted to keep Spencer safe he would have to break to heart He looked down at the red letter on the heart shaped paper _Break her heart or I break her neck –A_. Up until an hour ago, he had no idea what he would do. He knew he couldn't tell anyone and it wasn't like he had a hard time keeping secrets or he wasn't good at it either. For a brief moment in time he was on the A-Team and he couldn't get the image of pain and disbelief in Spencer's brown eyes when she caught him stealing the key out of his mind. It hurt him so much that he had hurt her like that but he had told he would do anything to keep her safe. So here was a few months later about to do the unthinkable just to keep her safe. What he had to do to keep her alive wouldn't only break her heart but his heart too. . He would have to do something so terrible that she would never talk to him again. He would have to do the unthinkable and cheat on the love of his life. He knew A would be watching, camera in hand and that in no time a text message would be sent and both of their worlds would crumble.

Toby wiped a tear from his cheek as he heard the car approaching. He slipped the paper in his pocket and smoothed out his jeans out of nervousness. As the car slowed at the curb, Toby walked down the stars and stood on the sidewalk. The driver walked around the passenger side of the car and opened the back door and a dainty hand was extended. The driver helped his passenger out and Toby cleared his through.

"Who is there?" Jenna asked nervously as she spread out her cane and tilted it towards the floor.

"It's Toby" Toby said concentrating on where his feet were. He had to stick this through and not run to the Hastings' house and take Spencer far away from there like he originally wanted. He remembered something that Mona had said that Spencer repeated "A is everywhere and A is nowhere". Jenna started walking towards the house and Toby automatically followed.

"Toby!" Jenna said interrupting his thoughts " I haven't got all day. What did you say you wanted?" Jenna started up the steps and Toby took her arm.

"Let me help you" he said and guided her up the stairs. She opened the front door and turned to him.

"Toby, you still didn't tell me what you want" Jenna smirked.

"I just want to talk if that's ok with you" Toby asked trying to sound interested and present. Jenna nodded and Toby followed her into the house and into her bedroom where she was putting her bags.

"What do want Toby? You haven't spoken to me in over a month" Jenna said sounding annoyed.

Toby sucked in a breath and walked over to the window and looked out for a minute. He turned back towards Jenna and stood behind her. He ran his fingers up her arm and whispered in her ear "That's want I want to talk to you about. I miss you" Toby said and he leaned down and kissed Jenna's neck but Jenna stepped forward.

"And what does Spencer think about that?" Jenna asked in a mocking way which made Toby grateful that Jenna couldn't see because the pain that the sound of Jenna saying Spencer's name brought to Toby's face would not have been easy to hide.

Toby closed the space between them "Things with me and Spencer have been difficult to say the least since Mona got out of Radley" he said "And I have been thinking a lot of you, us and how I never really gave you a fair shot. I always said I was unwilling because you were my step sister and it should be wrong but looking back" Toby took a breath and leaned in closer to Jenna "It was so right" he whispered "Toby" she started to whisper but is was too late. His lips were already on hers and there was no going back. For her, she thought it was the beginning to something that should have started a long time ago and for him, without Spencer, he knew his life would be truly over.


	2. Chapter 2

Toby had a hard time kissing Jenna without thinking about Spencer and what this would do to her. He knew he had to keep her safe at any cost.

He tilted his head back as Jenna found the sweet spot on his neck and nibbled. He stiffened up and pushed her away.

"What's wrong?" Jenna whispered trying to catch her breath.

"Nothing, I just don't want to get too carried away right now I have to meet Caleb in an hour' Toby lied through his teeth.

"I have dinner plans with Noel anyway. Why don't you come back over tomorrow and we can pick up where we left off" Jenna said as she kissed Toby's lips again.

"I will see you tomorrow then" he said regretting that he had to mean what he was saying. As he started to leave Jenna grabbed his arm.

"Don't worry Toby, your secret is safe with me" Jenna said and turned away from him.

Toby opened the door to Jenna's house and walked down the steps, sure to check his surroundings. He hurried into his truck, slammed the door and pounded his fists on the dashboard and he could feel the tears rolling down his face.

* * *

Spencer was pacing back and forth in her kitchen while Hanna and Aria sat at the counter.

"Where is he?" Spencer said looking at her phone "The last time he disappeared like this…" her words trailed off at the memory of everything that had happened- finding out Toby was –A, stumbling upon his supposed dead body and ending up breaking to the point where she ended up in Radley.

"Spence, don't go there" Aria tried to comfort.

"But he was on the –A Team" Hanna stated and Aria shot her a look "Sorry just stating the facts".

"Spencer, it's probably something stupid like his truck broke down or something" Aria said.

Spencer shook her head "then why isn't he returning my calls or texts?" She looked down to check her phone.

"I don't know Spencer but there has to be a good explanation for it. This isn't like Toby" Hanna said with sincerity.

The room went silent and all 3 girls jumped when Hanna's phone rang. "it's Emily" Hanna said and answered the phone "Hey Em".

"I got your texts but the brew was swamped. I just left now going to go home and change. What's the S.O.S.? . " Emily said.

"We can't find Toby. He was supposed meet Spencer after school and he never showed. He is not returning anyone's texts or phone calls" Hanna said as she opened the door to go outside.

"Em, I am really worried" Hanna whispered and then Emily gasped. "Emily what?"

"Hanna, Toby isn't missing. I see him walking to his truck. He was at Jenna's" Emily said.

"Oh my god! Jenna? But why he can't stand her" Hanna said.

"I don't know, but, not a word to Spencer until we get to the bottom of it. I will be there is a little while" Emily said.

"Ok Em see you in a bit" Hanna hung up the phone and walked backed into the house.

"What did Emily say?" Spencer asked with worry in her voice.

"She hasn't heard from him. She is going home to change and she will be over in a little while. Don't worry I'm sure he is ok" Hanna said as she hugged her friend and gave Aria the I need to talk to you now look and Aria nodded.

Spencer pulled back from Aria and looked at her phone again. "Dammit Toby where are you" she said out loud and started pacing again.

* * *

He felt like shit for what he had done to Spencer. He felt dirty and worthless and had no idea how he was going to face her. He didn't even have to look at his phone to know that there would be a hundred missed calls and texts from Spencer and her friends wondering where he was or worse that –A had ratted him out already but would it really be that easy?

Jenna's last words to him made him wonder. Was this really –A or was this just another Jenna thing? He had no idea. He would like to think that Jenna couldn't be that bad but then again this was a girl who did some terrible things and kept some pretty big secrets of her own. He knew that she had never gotten over him, that her feelings for him were real at one point and he couldn't help but wonder if she still felt that way. The memories of the times he spent with Jenna cased an anger inside him to start to boil.

Toby pounded the dash again letting out a groan "dammit". He put the car in drive and raced towards his loft. He needed to try to wash the grimy feeling away before he faced her, if he could face her. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep up the charade for too long. He knew she would figure him out pretty quickly and he also knew that if he didn't let her see him with Jenna or tell her he didn't want to be with her anymore –A would hurt worse than any betrayal by Toby could ever do.

During the short drive to the loft above the brew, his phone continued to ring alerting him of more texts. He didn't even want to look at them. He was so disgusted in himself for letting –A win. Either way, Spencer wouldn't be around much longer and he would rather have her not be in his life than 6 feet underground. He threw his phone on his passenger seat, parked the truck and ran up to his loft.

When Toby got into his bedroom to start getting undressed he saw that the picture of him and Spencer now had a scratch on it over Spencer's face. It wasn't fully broken just a scratch and Toby's stomach churned. He quickly undressed and jumped in the shower letting the hot water rid him of the smell of Jenna's perfume along with the grimy feeling he had from being so deceitful. He had promised Spencer no more secrets on more than one occasion and here he was still keeping secrets from her and he knew he would have to lie to her on top of it. He side and turned off the water.

As he stepped out of the truck he saw a note written in the steam _ You have only scratched the surface – A. _ Toby was baffled. There was no way Jenna could have done this because he was with her. He dried off, quickly changed and sprinted to his truck. He needed to see Spencer.


End file.
